Iraqi units clear Mosul buildings after advances, IS attacks

QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA, Associated Press

Published
9:20 pm CDT, Friday, November 4, 2016

An Iraqi special forces sniper searches for a target on the outskirts of Mosul, Iraq, Friday, Nov. 4, 2016. Heavy fighting erupted in the eastern neighborhoods of Mosul on Friday as Iraqi special forces launched an assault deeper into the urban areas of the city and swung round to attack Islamic State militants from a second entry point, to the northeast. (AP Photo/Marko Drobnjakovic)

An Iraqi special forces sniper searches for a target on the outskirts of Mosul, Iraq, Friday, Nov. 4, 2016. Heavy fighting erupted in the eastern neighborhoods of Mosul on Friday as Iraqi special forces

An Iraqi special forces sniper searches for a target on the outskirts of Mosul, Iraq, Friday, Nov. 4, 2016. Heavy fighting erupted in the eastern neighborhoods of Mosul on Friday as Iraqi special forces launched an assault deeper into the urban areas of the city and swung round to attack Islamic State militants from a second entry point, to the northeast. (AP Photo/Marko Drobnjakovic)

An Iraqi special forces sniper searches for a target on the outskirts of Mosul, Iraq, Friday, Nov. 4, 2016. Heavy fighting erupted in the eastern neighborhoods of Mosul on Friday as Iraqi special forces

MOSUL, Iraq (AP) — Iraqi special forces are clearing buildings in neighborhoods they entered in eastern Mosul a day earlier, after pushing out Islamic State militants in their drive to take back the city.

Fighting continued Saturday morning, with both sides firing mortars and automatic weapons on each other's positions, while the Iraqi troops also responded with artillery. Clashes were most intense in the al-Bakr neighborhood. Sniper duels played out from rooftops in the mostly residential areas, where the majority of buildings are two stories high.

The special forces launched a two-pronged assault deeper into Mosul's urban center on Friday, unleashing the most intense street battles against IS militants since the offensive to retake the city began nearly three weeks ago. At least seven special forces troops have been killed in the fighting.